1939-08-31 — Page 30

Page

BRITAIN'S REACTION TO CRISIS

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 1, 1939.

NO TRACE OF JUBILATION AND NONE OF NERVES: SIGN OF NATIONAL UNITY

London, To-day.

THE BRITISH PEOPLE have settled down to contem- plate on the possibility of war in a spirit the like of which has never previously been seen in the country's history.

A survey of each city's streets, homes, factories and newspapers reveals that the whole spirit of the country is different from that of 1914, because there is to be found in it no trace of jubilation, and it is vitally different from last September because there is no trace of last-minute nerves.

SPAIN'S LIBERTY OF ACTION

Madrid, To-day. General Franco has created a Supreme General Staff under his Immediate orders as the "high- cat military guarantee of Spain's liberty of action in the event of an armed conflict."

General Vigon, Franco's most brilliant Staff strategist, has been appointed in command.-Reuter.

R.E.O.C.A. DANCE

17

As one newspaper writer to-day ex- presses it: The British people feel to-day that they have now done every- thing necessary to prepare for any eventuality and

No longer say 'What shall we do

if war comes?' but 'What shall be done if it is peace after all?”

Accompanying the nation's quiet re- solution is an unprecedented unity and determination, of which one out- ward sign was the agreement reach- ed yesterday between engineering unions representing 350,000 engineers, and the engineering employers' ganisation on the question of the di- lution of labour. -

CHERISHED PRINCIPLE

or-

This means giving up a long-cher-. ished principle of the Unions for the sake of the rearmament programme,

The Royal Engineers Old Comrades' Association are holding a Flannel

for it involves the introduction of Dance to-morrow night at the Penin-semi-skilled men into skilled jobs, en- sula Hotel from 8.30 p.m. till midnight.abling the production of arms, air-

Music will be provided by the craft and shipbuilding plants to

be

Dance Orchestra of The Royal Scots,

enormously increased.

by kind permission of Lt.-Col. Mc- Dougall, M.C., and Officers.

OFF THE RECORD

EDREED

For years the dilution of labour has been the cause of dissension.--Reuter

ARMY MOVES INTO TENTS

An officer inspecting rifles of men of the 2nd Royal Norfolks. Re- ..gulars and Reservists of this regiment are now under canvas at. Ox-

ney Camp, Bordon, Hants. (Copyright, Fox)..

MILITARY

LETTER TO

PLANE LOST GOVERNOR

By ED REED. IN NORTH SEA NOW IN

and this little pig is out in the cold because mother's too

darn busy with her bridge parties ! "

Here's Luck

EWO BEER

Oslo, To-day.

A military plane of un- LONDON

known nationality crashed into the sea near Bergen yes- terday following an explosion on board.

Norwegian fishermen managed to reach the plane before it sank and re- covered three badly burnt bodies from the wreck. A fourth body could not be recovered.

It is possible the machine is one from the British Fleet which is carry ing out large-scale air practice in the North Sea. The plane was a land, craft and presumably came from an aircraft-carrier, - Trans-Ocean,

BELFAST INCIDENT

Dublin, To-day. Several hundred gasmasks were burned in public squares yesterday morning by groups of Irish Nation- alists in Belfast.

LONDON, TO-DAY.

THE CHINESE EMBASSY. HAS COPY RECEIVED A PHOTOSTAT

TO THE OF THE LETTER SENT GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG, SIR GEOFFRY NORTHCOTE, BY TWO CHINESE IN CONNECTION WITH THE TIENTSIN ASSASSINATION.

The two Chinese stated in the letter that they were the real murderers of Cheng in Tientsin in April. ·

Their motives were patriotic and they were horrified that Innocent men should suffer in their place. They. offered to surrender to lawful pro». cesses provided the Governor of Hong Kong promised not to surrender them to the Japanese... --Reuter.

CHINESE REPORT

ON BIAS BAY-

Walchow, To-day. In the Blas Bay area the Japanese who were recently driven away from Groups with paint and brushes Kweichung are reported to have re- painted inscriptions "air protection is turned to their warships, anchored in for British slaves" on house and shop the Bay after having been subjected to fronts. The police dispersed the further. attacks by the Chinese-Cen- crowds.-Trans-Ocean,

tral News.

NEUTRALITY

OF SWITZERLAND

neu-

Berne, To-day. Italy has given the Swiss Federal Council on assurance that, the trality of Switzerland will be respect- ed in the event of an outbreak war-Reuter,

of

TURKEY DENIES.

MOBILISATION

Istanbul," To-day. Competent Turkish authorities yes- terday denied rumours, alleging, Tur- key is planning immediate mobilisa- tion.-Trans-Ocean.

Page 30Page 31